Why not kick Monday off with a little bit of silliness? Here’s a look at a “gripe sheet”—a form pilots fill out after each flight to convey to the mechanics problems encountered with the aircraft during the flight that need repair or correction. The mechanics read and correct the problem, and then respond in writing on the lower half of the form what remedial action was taken, and the pilot reviews the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground crews and engineers lack a sense of humor.

Here are some (reportedly) actual logged maintenance complaints and problems submitted by pilots of a certain airline, and the solution recorded by maintenance engineers.

Problem: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement. Solution: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough. S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit. S: Something tightened in cockpit.

P: Dead bugs on windshield. S: Live bugs on back-order.

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent. S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear. S: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud. S: DME volume set to more believable level.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick. S: That’s what they’re
there for.

P: IFF inoperative. S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield. S: Suspect you’re right.

P: Number 3 engine missing. S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny. S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums. S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit. S: Cat installed.

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According to this article from the Arizona Republic, the success of the Phoenix Civic Plaza’s $600 million expansion depends on a new 1,000-room hotel.

“Groups will not come here without that hotel. They just won’t,” said White, vice president of sales and marketing for the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau, in the article.

The City Council votes June 16 on “whether to move forward on a publicly funded hotel, targeted to open by 2008 when Civic Plaza’s expansion is completed.”

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According to this article from hotel-online.com, that “catch of the day” at a restaurant may actually be the catch of several days ago. If you’re using a restaurant for a dinearound or dinner meeting, you may want to ask exactly how they define “fresh” when it comes to fish.

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